The production of pigs is known. According to a conventional process, molten metal is poured from a ladle into molds arranged side by side on an inclined plane. The molds can be connected to one another in order to form an endless chain which travels underneath a spout of the ladle. Each mold has at least one spout. At the place where they are filled with molten metal, the molds are arranged in such a way that the spout of the mold located underneath the runner can pour into the next lower mold. The overflow from a mold via the usually very wide spout determines the height or thickness of the pig.
This method of producing pigs by overflow makes it possible to obtain pigs as semi-finished or rough products, the height of which vary between 55 and 65 mm, for example for a nominal height of 60 mm. The height variation observed in this way is attributable partly to the variation in temperature of the molten metal and partly to other causes, such as, for example, the partial obstruction of the spout by slag.
If, on the other hand, the pigs are to be used as finished products, such a large variation in height is unacceptable. This applies particularly to pigs serving as counterweights or pigs used in stacks for the heat-accumulating cores of ovens.